New Oswego Entertainment Venue to host legend Vince Neil

When the Oswego Entertainment Venue opens this August, the new park and bandshell will pack a big punch, with chart-toppers and rock legends hitting the stage for a great cause.

This week, VetFest 141 organizers and the Village of Oswego announced another headlining act for the four-day festival happening later this month ? metal legend and Vince Neil, legendary voice of M?tley Cr?e.

Neil will perform hits such as ?Wild Side,? ?Girls Girls Girls,? ?Dr. Feelgood,? ?Home Sweet Home,? and many more.

?It?s an honor to play an event like this for such a good cause,? Neil said. ?I have several family members who served in the military including my father so a show like this is near and dear to my heart. My band and I are looking forward to performing a fun, energetic and exciting show performing all the hits.?

Twin brother rock duo Nelson will open.

?Matt and I are absolutely thrilled to be playing VetFest this year,? Gunnar Nelson said. ?On top of the thrill of sharing the bill with our great friends Vince and his bandmates, for the past hundred-plus years the Nelson family has always loved and supported our great veterans. It?s time to celebrate together and honor the best of us all. Let?s rock!?

Vince Neil and Nelson join an already packed line-up for the four-day festival, which begins on Thursday, Aug. 26, with The Man in Black ? A Johnny Cash Tribute starring Shawn Barker. Chart-topping country duo LoCash headlines Friday, Aug. 27, and local favorites 7th Heaven bring the party on Sunday.

The four-day music event also brings food, drinks and a carnival to the new venue, plus veterans and first responders get free admission and special perks. VetFest 141?s one-for-one ticket program admits one veteran, active military member first responder or frontline medical worker for every regularly priced ticket purchased. Patrons can also buy a burger or a beer for a veteran ? even without attending the festival ? by visiting VetFest141.org and clicking ?Buy One for a Vet.?

A portion of proceeds from the festival are donated to local charities that benefit veterans and support the Oswego 308 School District.

?When we first began imagining this space just two years ago, I envisioned the kind of stage that could be both home to our local Oswego talent and a space for other big-name acts to entertain our residents and raise funds for great causes,? Village President Troy Parlier said. ?The amazing lineup for this year?s VetFest and the other great community events lined up for this fall are proof that what we?ve built here is truly something for the whole community to enjoy.?

VetFest 141 is slated to be the first major show at the new venue, which is just completing construction at 1010 Station Drive in Oswego?s Orchard Road corridor, but a packed calendar of community events is planned throughout late summer and early fall. It includes patriotic concerts, the return of the free pumpkin pick-up for Oswego families and more.

Oswego residents can get special perks for big events happening at the new venue. In early July, residents signed up for Village of Oswego text and email notifications got first dibs on fast-selling LoCash tickets. Not signed up yet? Visit www.oswegoil.org/alerts to get started.

Tickets

VetFest 141 happens Thursday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 29, at the Oswego Entertainment Venue, 1010 Station Drive. General admission tickets for single-night shows start at $10. Four-day passes are $75 and are on sale now at www.vetfest141.org. Concert gates open at 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday. The all-ages carnival opens 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Volunteers needed

VetFest141 will donate $200 to local organizations for every eight-hour shift spent volunteering for event setup, support and breakdown. In return, volunteers will be granted free admission to another day of the festival for free. Individuals interested in volunteering can register at www.vetfest141.org.

For more information about Vet Fest, or to buy tickets, visit www.vetfest141.org. For more details on the new Oswego entertainment venue, including a complete calendar of community events, visit www.oswegoil.org/amphitheater.